10 MORE Unanswered Mysteries From Doctor Who

10. How Many Regenerations Has The Master Had?

Roger Delgado appeared alongside Jon Pertwee as the first on-screen incarnation of the Master in 1971. He remained in the role until his accidental death, via a car crash, in 1973. Though he was the first version of the evil Timelord that the audience saw, it is unclear whether he was the first regeneration of the Master at all.

It is stated many times throughout the show that the Doctor and the Master have been rivals for almost all of their lives, though this has been thrown into disarray by the reveal of the Timeless Child. They allegedly studied together at the Time Lord Academy as youths. Missy, the incarnation that the Twelfth Doctor encountered, told Clara that she had known the Doctor as a little girl, though she may of course have been lying at the time!

The Master is said to be in his final regeneration when he counters the Fourth Doctor. His body is desiccated and dying, though this would have been his thirteenth life. Where then are the earlier versions and will the audience ever get to meet them? Are they faces that the Doctor might recognise and if so, who are they?